Profile

Strategic designer, researcher, and educator with fifteen years of experience spanning interior architecture, user experience design, and applied urban research. Over time, my practice has evolved from designing spaces and experiences toward addressing increasingly complex organizational and systemic challenges. Today, my work integrates methodologies from design research, systemic design, and strategic foresight, helping organizations attune their strategies and initiatives to the people, places, and systems they work with.

Fields of Practice

• Design Research
• Human-Centred Design
• Strategic Design
• Systemic Design
• Service Design
• Strategic Foresight
• Design Education

Work Experience

Co-Founder | Contexture | Toronto, ON
Dec 2025 – Present
Helping organizations develop internal capacity in systems thinking through tailored advisory, facilitation, and learning engagements rooted in local practice.

Course Instructor | OCAD U CO | Toronto, ON
Dec 2025 – Mar 2026
Developed and delivered tailored training in systems thinking and strategic foresight for specific industries and organizational contexts.

Research Strategist | Visual Analytics Lab, OCAD University | Toronto, ON
Jan 2024 – Dec 2024
Led applied research at the intersection of urban planning and technology, developing research plans and methods, and communicating insights through publications.

Graduate Research & Teaching Assistant | OCAD University | Toronto, ON
Jan 2021 – Jun 2023
Supported in teaching and grading students’ coursework, research planning, REB applications, data collection, analysis, and report writing in applied research projects.

Interior Designer | MNID | Toronto, ON
Nov 2019 – Apr 2020
Designed amenity interiors for multifamily residential projects, producing FF&E specifications and liaising with consultants and vendors.

UX Design Consultant | TechGuilds Consulting | Toronto, ON
Jan 2018 – Oct 2019
Collaborated with cross-functional teams on enterprise-scale website design, advising clients on user experience and developing wireframes across multiple site components.

Interior Designer | Mimaria Architectural Consultants | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Sep 2013 – Jul 2016
Designed high-end residential interiors, producing construction drawings and FF&E specifications, and supported the principal architect on urban studies.

Interior Designer | Al-Mutlaq | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
May 2012 – Aug 2013
Developed FF&E specifications and estimates for commercial and government offices.

Teaching

Systems Thinking for Agricultural Technology
Course Instructor | OCAD U CO | Toronto, ON
Dec 2025 – Mar 2026

Generative Design in Urban Planning & Architecture
Workshop Instructor | Visual Analytics Lab, OCAD University | Toronto, ON
Jul – Sep 2024

Understanding Agency & Generative Design
Guest Lecturer | School of Graduate Studies, OCAD University | Toronto, ON
Jul 2024

Reference Management for Designers with Zotero
Workshop Instructor | Visual Analytics Lab, OCAD University | Toronto, ON
Feb 2024

The Futures of Sustainability
Guest Lecturer | Faculty of Design, OCAD University | Toronto, ON
Jan – Apr 2024

Persona Development Workshop
Workshop Instructor | Woodgreen | Toronto, ON
Feb 2022

ENVR 3005 – Building Systems and Materials: Commercial
Graduate Teaching Assistant | Faculty of Design, OCAD University | Toronto, ON
Jan – May 2022
Jan – May 2021

Facilitation

Problematique Dialogue
Co-Facilitator | sLab, OCAD University | Toronto, ON
May 2026

Futures of Communities in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area
Workshop Designer & Facilitator | Major Research Project, OCAD University | Toronto, ON
Jul 2022

Creative Learners Personas Workshop
Workshop Designer & Facilitator | game:play lab, OCAD University & MasterpieceVR | Toronto, ON
Oct 2021

Moyo Clients Personas Workshop
Co-Facilitator | Moyo Health and Community Services | Toronto, ON
Jul 2021

Speaking

Generative Urban Design for Public Life: A Human-Centric Application in Neighbourhood Parks
Paper Presenter | ICSDI 2026 | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Feb 2026

From Artifacts to Systems: Designing for Complexity Towards Vision 2030
Invited Speaker | AlMashtal | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Feb 2026

Anticipating Complexity: Integrating Systemic Design with Foresight
Seminar Presenter | Research, Development and Innovation Authority (RDIA) | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Feb 2026

Systemic Design: A New Lens for Urban Transformation
Invited Speaker | Bawtaqa Foundation | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Feb 2026

New Design Leadership in Complexity
Panelist | RSD14 | Toronto, ON
Oct 2025

Humbling Systemic Design: Learning When not to Intervene in Complex Social Systems
Paper Presenter | RSD14 | Toronto, ON
Oct 2025

Generative Design for a Complete Community Park
Presenter | SimAUD 2023 | Hamilton, ON
May 2023

Generative Design for a Complete Community Park
Invited Speaker | Autodesk Research | Toronto, ON
Nov 2022

Is the Greenest Building the One Already Standing?
Presenter | Systems Thinking Ontario | Toronto, ON
July 2021

Publications

Generative Urban Design for Public Life: A Human-Centric Application in Neighborhood Parks
Kamalmaz, S., Diamond, S., Goldstein, R., Bibliowicz, J., Bowes, J., Wright, R., & Roorda.
Conference Proceedings | Springer | ICSDI 2026
2026

Humbling Systemic Design: Learning When Not to Intervene in Complex Social Systems
Khan, Z., & Kamalmaz, S.
Conference Proceedings | SDA | RSD14
2025

Interactive Media in Urban Redevelopment: A Toolkit for Complete Communities
Matta, P., Diamond, S., Xayabanha, C., Mawuenyegah, F., Mathur, S., Xia, A., Martin, R., Schutte, R., Hasan, H., Leung, B., Satyavarapu, G., Munn, K., Kamalmaz, S., Bowes, J., & Wright, R.
Conference Proceedings | AMPS | Mediated Cities Conference Series
2025

Co-Generative: A Generative Design Paradigm for Fostering Regenerative Communities
Kamalmaz, S.
Major Research Project | OCAD University
2023

Is the Greenest Building the One Already Standing?
Alfonso, S., Benson, C., Claude, V., & Kamalmaz, S.
Conference Exhibition | SDA | RSD10
2022

Projects

Urban Systems & Communities

Complete Communities Scorecard Framework
Lead researcher | Visual Analytics Lab, OCAD University | Toronto, ON
Jan – Dec 2024
Developed a framework for studying and evaluating communities’ completeness through literature review, defining indicators, and cross referencing findings with emerging trends.

Downsview’s Hangar District: Building a Complete Community
Collaborating Researcher | Visual Analytics Lab, OCAD University | Toronto, ON
Jan – Dec 2024
Applied human-centred research, GIS analysis, and strategic foresight to explore future scenarios and inform community-centred redevelopment strategies.

Mount Pleasant Village Park: A Generative Design Study
Lead researcher | Visual Analytics Lab, OCAD University | Toronto, ON
Jan – Dec 2022
Led the development of a human-centred generative design workflow for neighbourhood park planning, integrating computational optimization with spatial performance metrics to evaluate and compare thousands of design alternatives.

Community Kitchen for Food Sovereignty
Co-designer | OCAD University ◦ Moyo Health & Community Services | Toronto, ON
May – Aug 2021
Co-designed a community-based food sovereignty initiative through human-centred research and service design, developing a sustainable program model, implementation strategy, and partnership framework for a local community organization.

Organizational & Sector Transformation

Canadian Muslims in Reconciliation Strategic Roadmap
Working Board Member | CMIR | Toronto, ON
Oct 2024 – Oct 2025
Co-developed a long-term strategic roadmap to strengthen organizational direction, partnerships, and community impact through systems thinking, strategic foresight, and collaborative planning.

OCAD University Sustainability Hub
Graduate Research Assistant | sLab, OCAD University | Toronto, ON
Mar – Jun 2023
Led human-centred research to redesign OCAD University’s Sustainability Community of Practice and knowledge hub, generating strategic recommendations to strengthen community engagement, knowledge sharing, and institutional collaboration.

Jamaican Canadian Association Strategic Roadmap
Co-designer | OCAD University ◦ Jamaican Canadian Association | Toronto, ON
May – Jun 2021
Co-developed a strategic roadmap for a major community organization, designing organizational, service, and business model innovations to strengthen community engagement and long-term sustainability.

The Futures of Space Technology
Co-designer | Foresight Studio Course, OCAD University | Toronto, ON
Jan – Apr 2021
Applied strategic foresight methods to explore plausible futures for the space sector, synthesizing emerging trends into scenarios and strategic insights to inform long-term decision-making under uncertainty.

Is the Greenest Building the One Already Standing?
Co-designer | Systemic Design Course, OCAD University | Toronto, ON
Jan – Apr 2021
Investigated building decarbonization through a systemic design lens, mapping the social, technical, and policy dimensions of embodied carbon to identify high-leverage opportunities for systems-level change.

Digital Products & Experiences

Handmade: VR Tools for Creation
Graduate Research Assistant | game:play lab, OCAD University | Toronto, ON
Jul 2021 – Feb 2022
Conducted human-centred research to investigate barriers to VR-based creative practice, producing learner archetypes, educational resources, and strategic recommendations to support adoption of immersive creation tools.

Wild Fork Foods Usability Test
Co-designer | Usability Testing Course, George Brown College | Toronto, ON
Mar – Apr 2018
Co-planned and conducted an end-to-end usability evaluation of Wild Fork Foods’ e-commerce platform, translating user observations into prioritized recommendations to improve navigation, content, and purchasing workflows.

Art for Rent
Co-designer | Information Architecture Course, George Brown College | Toronto, ON
Mar – Apr 2018
Co-designed an end-to-end mobile marketplace experience connecting artists with renters, developing the product strategy, information architecture, user journeys, and interaction design for an augmented reality–enabled platform.

MuslimWill UX/UI Design
Lead UX/UI Designer | MuslimWill | Toronto, ON
2018
Designed the user experience and interface for a digital estate planning platform, translating user needs into an accessible and intuitive service.

TechGuilds Website UX/UI Design
Lead UI/UI Designer | TechGuilds Consulting | Toronto, ON
2018
Led the redesign of the company’s digital presence through user-centred interaction design, information architecture, and interface design.

Interior Architecture & Spatial Design

TechGuilds Office Interior
Lead Interior Designer | TechGuilds Inc. | Toronto, ON
2017
Designed a collaborative workplace that aligned organizational culture, workflow, and spatial experience.

Establishing Busan Station as the Hub of Creative Economy
Interior Designer | Mimaria Architectural Consultants | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
2015
Contributed to an award-winning urban design proposal reimagining Busan Station as a catalyst for innovation, culture, and economic development.

Confidential Private Residence III
Lead Interior Designer | Mimaria Architectural Consultants | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
2015

Confidential Private Residence II
Interior Designer | Mimaria Architectural Consultants | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
2014

Confidential Private Residence I
Interior Designer | Mimaria Architectural Consultants | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
2013

Visual Identity & Communication

Muslims in Canada Archives Visual Identity
Lead Concept Designer | Institute of Islamic Studies, University of Toronto | Toronto, ON
May – July 2021

TEDxYouth Riyadh Visual Identity
Lead Graphic Designer | TEDx Riyadh | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Mar – Jun 2012

Education

Master of Design (M.Des.) in Strategic Foresight and Innovation
OCAD University | Toronto, ON | 2020 – 2023

Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Interior Architecture
Prince Sultan University | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | 2005 – 2011

Certificates

User Experience Design, Certificate
George Brown College | Toronto, ON | 2018 – 2019

Designing and Building with Compressed Stabilized Earth Block, Intensive Course
Auroville Earth Institute | Auroville, India | 2015